2003–04 Southampton F.C. season


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The 2003-04 season was Southampton F.C's 26th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, and it was the club's 119th year in existence. The season started on the 16th of August 2003 and ended on the 15th of May 2004. It was Gordon Stratchan's last season as Southampton's manager.

Southampton F.C.
2003–04 season
ChairmanRupert Lowe
ManagerGordon Strachan (until March)
Paul Sturrock (from March)
StadiumSt Mary's Stadium
Premier League12th
FA CupThird round proper
League CupFifth round
UEFA CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: James Beattie (14)
All: James Beattie (17)
Highest home attendance32,151 (vs. Arsenal, 29 December)
Lowest home attendance30,513 (vs. Charlton Athletic, 7 December)
Average home league attendance31,716

The team was eliminated on the third round of the FA Cup, losing 3-0 to Newcastle United, the match was broadcast live by the BBC. They were also eliminated from the Carling cup, losing 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers in the quarter finals due to a goal in extra time.

The previous season's FA Cup runners-up failed to make an impact in any of the cup competitions, and their 12th-place finish was a something of a disappointment after the previous season, when Southampton were eighth in the league - their highest ever in the Premiership and their highest in the top flight since 1990. The club was thrown into further turmoil in March, when Gordon Strachan announced his resignation as manager. There was talk that Glenn Hoddle would be returning to the club for a second spell, but the job went to Plymouth Argyle's Paul Sturrock instead.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
10 Birmingham City 38 12 14 12 43 48 −5 50
11 Middlesbrough 38 13 9 16 44 52 −8 48 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[a]
12 Southampton 38 12 11 15 44 45 −1 47
13 Portsmouth 38 12 9 17 47 54 −7 45
14 Tottenham Hotspur 38 13 6 19 47 57 −10 45

Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:

  1. ^ Middlesbrough qualified as the 2003–04 Football League Cup winners.
Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Left club during season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

The following players did not appear for the first team this season.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

  • Third round: Bristol City 1–3 Southampton; attendance 17,408

Appearances and goals

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Premier League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Goalkeepers
14 GK   FIN Antti Niemi 33 0 28 0 1 0 3 0 1 0
28 GK   NIR Alan Blayney 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Defenders
2 DF   ENG Jason Dodd 34 0 27+1 0 1 0 3 0 2 0
3 DF   ENG Graeme Le Saux 21 1 19 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
5 DF   NOR Claus Lundekvam 36 1 31 1 1 0 2 0 2 0
6 DF   SCO Stephen Crainey 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 DF   SWE Michael Svensson 32 2 26 2 1 0 3 0 2 0
15 DF   ENG Fitz Hall 12 0 7+4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
16 DF   ENG Martin Cranie 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 DF   ENG Danny Higginbotham 31 0 24+3 0 1 0 2 0 1 0
22 DF   ENG Darren Kenton 7 0 3+4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 DF   NIR Chris Baird 4 0 1+3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Midfielders
8 MF   ENG Matt Oakley 8 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
10 MF   SCO Neil McCann 21 0 9+9 0 0 0 0+2 0 0+1 0
12 MF   SWE Anders Svensson 34 0 17+13 0 1 0 1 0 2 0
18 MF   IRL Rory Delap 32 1 26+1 1 0 0 3 0 1+1 0
20 MF   ENG David Prutton 30 1 22+5 1 1 0 1+1 0 0 0
21 MF   NOR Jo Tessem 3 0 1+2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 MF   FRA Fabrice Fernandes 31 1 21+6 1 0 0 2 0 2 0
30 MF   FRA Léandre Griffit 5 2 2+3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 MF   FRA Yoann Folly 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 MF   SCO Paul Telfer 43 0 33+4 0 1 0 2+1 0 1+1 0
Forwards
7 FW   ENG Kevin Phillips 37 13 28+6 12 1 0 0 0 2 1
9 FW   ENG James Beattie 42 17 32+5 14 1 0 2 3 2 0
17 FW   LVA Marian Pahars 16 2 6+8 2 1 0 1 0 0 0
34 FW   ECU Agustin Delgado 6 0 0+4 0 0 0 1+1 0 0 0
36 FW   ENG Brett Ormerod 26 6 14+8 5 0+1 0 3 1 0 0
Players transferred out during the season
1 GK   WAL Paul Jones 10 0 8 0 0 0 0+1 0 1 0
4 MF   ENG Chris Marsden 17 0 9+4 0 0 0 2+1 0 1 0
  1. ^ Delap was born in Sutton Coldfield, England, but qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 1998.
  2. ^ Folly was born in Paris, France, but also qualified to represent Togo internationally, and made his full international debut for Togo in August 2008
  3. ^ Blackstock was born in Oxford, England, and has represented them on U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Antigua & Barbuda internationally, and made his debut for Antigua & Barbuda in February 2012
  4. ^ Best was born in Nottingham, England, but also qualified to represent Ireland internationally, and made his full international debut for Ireland in May 2009.
  5. ^ Elá was born in Añisoc, Equatorial Guinea, but was raised in Spain from the age of 10.
  6. ^ Perepļotkins was born in Kharkiv, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), but acquired Latvian citizenship in 2007, and made his full international debut for Latvia in 2007.